New Pool build --- Northern California **4/12/21 start date**

[Sollace]

For sure...gate is going to be put in. We are in the process of teaching our 3 year old how to swim, our 7 and 6 year olds are good to go.

The main thing for a cover is to protect from fire ash.

I agree, you need one more than I would. Ask your pool builder for different options. There are a few people on this forum that have those automated covers and swear by them. The one we were quoted had a canvas covering -- Not sure how that'd hold up to hot ash. Would it spark? I'd prefer the cleats and rope taunt covering -- I have nightmares of one of our dogs jumping in the pool and getting caught under the canvas and drowning.

 

[Sollace]

Ohhh great idea. I was here on my phone looking to find pics without much luck. Didn't think of youtube thanks!

It was those murky underwater pool color videos by one pool builder .. . That put me off dark colors for a pool. Too creepy! My imagination could picture a shark down there. Let me see if I can find them. Believe me, Youtube has everything!

 

[Sollace]

I couldn't resist:

 

[JC707]

I have one heck of an idea after watching these videos on youtube. I've seen a lot where home owners made a start to finish montage of their pool build and set up cameras to record their journey. I think this would be pretty Dang cool but also keep the workers in line and have them perform to their best of their abilities because they know its being filmed? Thoughts? Lol

 

[JC707]

I couldn't resist:

Wow! Thats easy and quick!

 

[JC707]

I agree, you need one more than I would. Ask your pool builder for different options. There are a few people on this forum that have those automated covers and swear by them. The one we were quoted had a canvas covering -- Not sure how that'd hold up to hot ash. Would it spark? I'd prefer the cleats and rope taunt covering -- I have nightmares of one of our dogs jumping in the pool and getting caught under the canvas and drowning.

A buddy of mine across town just sent me a pic of his auto cover to show how great it was for catching all the ash we've had lately. I said how much and he replied.....$15k. Well in a perfect world I could afford that but not at the moment.

 

[Sollace]

keep the workers in line and have them perform to their best of their abilities because they know its being filmed?

A lot of the pool build threads have pictures -- Which is nice because you have a record of what happened. Yes, there are some time lapse videos of the whole build - Not sure if you get all the angles with those.
I couldn't find the underwater videos -- They're out there. I was looking for a certain color in a pebble and stumbled across those.

 

[JC707]

This is a dumb question but to heck with it I am going to ask. So I plan on taking up the task of treating me own pool. I have until Spring 2021 which gives me plenty of time to learn.

What scares me a lot is when I look at pictures of the pool equipment pads. The chemical side not so much but the big area of equipment that is pricey I don't want to screw up. Are you TFP users just doing the chemical balancing and have someone come over to handle the equipment pad side of things?

 

[Spookie]

Haaa..Funny guy...Don’t be intimidated by the equipment pal. Once the valve settings are in place (usually set by your builders start up guy / but verify the settings with the forum if you like) and the builder has it up and running, it’s not difficult. First thing to do is learn the different parts and their function. Will help you realize how straight forward it really is. Try YouTube if you are a visual learner like me.
You sound like me and electricity...I just don’t get it and it’s intimidating.

 

[YippeeSkippy]

The equipment pad only looks scary- just recognize that its just two parts (usually)- The Suction side pulls water to the equipment pad, and the Pressure side pushes water back to the pool. The pump is the conductor of the train and runs the system.

Identify which pipes carry the water in which direction, and you're almost a pro!

Maddie

 

[JC707]

To clarify, if my pool will be approx 18k gallons, I would go with the Pentair IC40, not the IC20 correct? I've read better to get a 1.5-2x rated SWCG. Thank you.

 

[Turbo1Ton]

Correct. You will want the IC40.

--Jeff

 

[Sollace]

Since you have a hunk of time to plan yours out, you should make a few folders on your desktop of ideas. I thought with years of planning that I'd have everything down pat. Nope.

You were the one mentioning fire ash, right? My husband laughed at that. You can't keep it out of a pool even with an automated cover. Getting it off the cover means it creates what a dust cloud? And what happens when the cover is back in it's housing and as it retracts, all the ash clinging to the coping or blowing in the wind, dropping from the trees, the house roof, . . . I think that ash would be impossible to keep out of the pool.

Maybe research vacuum systems.
Here. Watch the complete build on this thread, a video documenting all his build -- His new pool went thru a flood (Harvey) and he shows how he had to vacuum it all up. It's inspiring. And entertaining. I linked it on the last page (22) where he included a video at the end.

New Build in West Houston Area - PB

Here is hoping the heater does it's job without breaking the bank! So after a few months of heating this Houston “winter”, I have found that the pool loses around 2 degrees a day. It takes roughly 1 MMBTU of gas per degree to heat it back up, so that works out to about $12.50 a day in heating...

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[JC707]

Thanks! Awesome info. Yeah I was thinking the ash won't be 100% kept out but my thought was to use a cover (not auto- can't afford unfortunately) when fire season starts and limit the ash blown into the pool...if possible? I will take my shop vac or my leaf blower and blow whatever ash I can off the cover and then run the robot to finish off the job.

This leads me to another question...you mention a vacuum. From all what I've gathered on TFP if we opt for a robot to just forgo a suction type cleaner (sorry forgot proper terminology lol- still learning). I was thinking OK I will get the robot but due to our fire seasons here in California and knowing it literally rains down ash maybe a back-up suction vacuum option is good as well?

I still need to learn the systems but am I correct in thinking the suction vacuum system I can just manually hook up a vacuum hose and vacuum where ever I see fit?

 

[Desert Dog]

If you plan on getting the robot, and occasionally vacuum manually, you can just hook the vacuum up through the skimmer. No need to plumb the additional line. If I was doing a pool today, I would not do a dedicated vacuum line like I have now. I would use the robot and manually vacuum via the skimmer if needed. That's my 2 cents.

 

[JC707]

If you plan on getting the robot, and occasionally vacuum manually, you can just hook the vacuum up through the skimmer. No need to plumb the additional line. If I was doing a pool today, I would not do a dedicated vacuum line like I have now. I would use the robot and manually vacuum via the skimmer if needed. That's my 2 cents.

Perfect this is exactly what I will do.

 

[mrfixitri]

@mihzyd777

This is the member who has the pool build thread. I actually contacted the company he is going with but they are an hour and half away and replied to me that they don't service my area.

I am still in disbelief that the builder he is using for his quoted $70k pool....and the local builder I spoke to quoted same costs for a more basic design pool. I was all in thinking costs should be around $57-60k and reason being is a neighbor who used another local company got the design I want with features we like for $56k. I have yet to hear back from that builder tho.

Am I in the wrong thinking here? Maybe my expectations are wrong.

I'm a retired general contractor who has had limited experience with IG pool installs, but decades of experience with all major of home improvement projects, historic restorations, etc. Bottom line: for most contractors, pool or otherwise, there is NO rhyme or reason to pricing a job. Most will charge the most they think they can get. As a consumer, the best way to get a good price is several-fold. Look closely, and have the contractor explain how he arrived at his quote. If they won't do that, go someplace else. He or she is just shootin' from the hip hoping for a bullseye (highest price). The next is wait for a market downturn before shopping. This isn't always preferable, but like most service people, you'll get the best price when they're hungrier. ALWAYS get several quotes and make sure they're all quoting the same features, sizes, equipment, etc. Otherwise it makes it impossible to accurately compare. Many companies will purposely bait and switch with misleading ads in order to get you to call. Most of the smarter contractors will throw in a feature or two the other bidders do not. This is also geared to confuse and make price shopping more difficult. Personally, I think the best way is still to wait for a market downturn. We can't be far off....

 

[PCR]

Ways we cut back on costs -- No pool lights. I figure we can uplight bushes and trees, put a spot light on the house, but honest -- We have so many flying bugs and our HOA doesn't spray for mosquitos. So. I don't want to turn on the pool light(s) and have bugs hovering above the water, dying in the water, and clogging my drains. There's nothing worse than swimming at night and having a mouthful of floating bugs. Ours will be a day pool, no midnight dipping.

Be careful deciding not to have any lights in your pool. Not so easy to do after the fact. Our night swimming is usually when we have people over for a bbq or something and maybe the number of people splashing around just deters the bugs! (Can't you spray your own yard even if the HOA doesn't do it?) But besides swimming in the pool after dark, there is the nice visual effect of just having the lights on and seeing the pool lit up, and, important for me, the ability to see what that splash was you just heard that was something or, god forbid, someone falling into the pool at night. Personally I wouldn't have an inground pool without a light regardless of whether I planned to swim at night.

 

[spd500]

Personally I wouldn't have an inground pool without a light regardless of whether I planned to swim at night.

I agree. Even if you don't plan to use them I would still install lights. If you ever resell the property it may be a drawback for potential buyers that the pool doesn't have lights. You can probably save some money by not going with the high end lighting that changes colors and does the lightshows

 

[JC707]

Our first builder quote includes 1 light. This next builder I am hoping to hire but still waiting on includes 3 LED lights per my friend's quote I saw.

I definitely would love lights not only for the look but I do have 3 small kids ages 2 thru 7 so it might be good to have them.